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How To Shrink Wrap Machinery

Shrink Wrap Machinery

Shrink Wrap works very well for protecting machinery against weather damage while being stored or transported. It is inexpensive, easily applied, and UV protected for long term usage (12 months+). General application steps are listed below. Please note that the shrink wrap you will be using is not flame retardant unless specified on the label, so a fire extinguisher must be kept handy at all times, and all safety precautions must be followed.

Walk around the object you are going to cover to look for problem areas—it’s much better to do it now rather than when you are shrinking. Ascertain what sharp areas may need to be padded to keep the wrap from tearing, or areas that need to protected against excessive heat (electrical panels, hoses, etc.). Also decide how far down the object you will cover and how you will attach the shrink wrap.

Pad the areas you previously discovered and measure the object to see what size wrap will work well for you.

Bring the shrink wrap over the object (put the wrap on a roller and do not let it drag on the floor or ground as it will pick up dirt).

Form pleats at the corners and where excess wrap is apparent (see video to view how pleats are made) and tape in position until you can heat weld them.

Run strapping around base of object to be covered making sure that 6” of shrink wrap lies below the strap (trim excess so that there is no more than 6”). Tighten strap with buckles and tensioning tool until it is extremely tight.

Now use the Heat Tool to heat weld the shrinkwrap around the base of the object to be covered. This is accomplished by flipping the wrap below the strapping up and applying heat to form a heat weld (watch video for techniques).

As you are heat welding the base also seal the pleats with the heat tool (also shown on the training video).

Once the heat weld around the base and the pleats are sealed the entire unit may be shrunk. Begin above the bottom heat weld and Shrink upward. Use strokes similar to spray painting—letting off the trigger at the end of each stroke. Try and heat each area of the wrap only one time. Hit it hard and move on. Do not use a small amount of heat so that the heat tool must be moved over the wrap several times to get it shrinking. This thins the wrap rather than shrinking it.

After you have shrunk the entire surface go over the unit and check for holes and pleats that have come apart. Use tape to repair small holes and to seal the loose pleats.